Beauty is so solitary
by Rotten Panda
Summary: Shortly after the war, Rukia and Renji began with their relationship. However, everything ended as soon as it began. With the stress of leading her Division and the sadness about her break up with Renji, will Rukia be able to find comfort in no one less than Yumichika Ayasegawa? Rating might change.


**WARNING: Hello! Hey, I have to warn you. I am NOT an English speaker and I haven't practiced it in more than two years. Since I have no more English classes, I thought I could try practicing by translating –or at least trying– some fanfics of my own. However I have to tell you, you might find lots, LOTS of mistakes, so... yeah, that's it.**

 **If you still wanna read this, I'll be grateful. You can find grammar mistakes and probably spelling mistakes (though I revised it sometimes auto corrector changes words and I may have skip some). Anyway, if you do find some mistakes and you tell me about them so I can correct them I'll be the happiest person in the world.**

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 **I don't know where this came from. I noticed there were only one fic of this ship in Spanish and two in English, and it makes me sad. I think this ship has potential so… I'll give it a try.**

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 **Beauty is so solitary**

She walked aimlessly, without taking her gaze away from the floor. Her face showed sadness and her eyes seemed to be completely listless, deprived form their usual brightness. People passed by her side, giving her some glances without saying anything. The lieutenant of the thirteen Division seemed about to cry. She looked lost, distracted. Her eye bags just seemed to emphasize her deplorable appearance.

She finally got to the Division's barracks and entered her office giving a large sigh. She sat and tilted her head back closing her eyes, in an attempt to ease the headache that had increased that morning. However, it seemed destiny didn't want her to get some peace.

-Lieutenant! –Two figures appeared by the door, shouting at the same time and making the pain increase for a second. Rukia finally returned her gaze, waiting for them to continue with whatever they wanted to say.

-Lieutenant. –Kiyone finally spoke. –We have received an important notice about Karakura town.

-Right! –Sentarō interrupted, making Rukia place a hand in her forehead in an attempt to lessen the pain. –Apparently there had been many Hollow attacks that are getting out of control.

Rukia arched an eyebrow, finally looking them in the eyes. –Getting out of control? –That was weird. Ichigo and Ishida were there, so there should not be any problem. –Who's report is that?

-Shino and Ryūnosuke –Said the girl.

Ah, those two. They were really capable, Rukia had no doubts in that –at least more capable than _Kurumata-dono…_ or was it _Kuruma_? – But it seemed they still had some confidence and synchronization problems. Also, she didn't doubt there could have appeared some problems. The Quincy war had finished not long ago and everything had been a bit unstable; it could be that some Hollows appeared without specific reason. However, that didn't change the fact that Rukia wondered why Ichigo and Ishida didn't take care of the problem.

-I see… -She placed her hand in her chin to think for a few seconds, then gazed at them again. –Take the report to the twelfth Division so they can give you a frequency statistic of the apparition of Hollows in the city.

-Yes! –And with that, both got out of the office. Rukia gave a large sigh, almost relieved she was alone again. She started thinking about what she should do once she had the reports and statics in her hands. Send someone else? They were already short-staffed, to send someone more specialized to do the job in Karakura.

 _Maybe I should talk to the guys…_

Yes, that seemed a good idea. She got up and walked to the exit. Once again walking through the Seireitei towards the twelfth Division. All the way she was distracted, thinking in everything and anything at the same time, barely paying attention at what happened around her.

Once she got there, before she could ask permission to enter the barracks she found Akon, who glancing at her waved his hand and got near her.

-Lieutenant Kuchiki, you need something? –He asked kindly, making Rukia smile. Though it was no more than mere courtesy, it was nice that someone addressed her without shouting now that her head was going to explode. Besides, she was eternally grateful to have found the lieutenant instead of Captain Kurotsuchi.

-I wanted to contact with the human world.

Akon smiled and nodded slightly. –Come with me. –There wasn´t too much to say. Everybody knew that the thirteen division lieutenant had a big bond of friendship with the substitute Kurosaki Ichigo. Every now and then Rukia went to the twelfth Division to make short calls to the lad, so Akon never asked reasons for this.

When they got inside, Akon plugged in the device and Rukia waited until someone in the other side of the line answered.

-Hello?

-Ichigo! –Said Rukia once Akon had passed her de device. –Hey.

-Hey. –Answered the voice in the other side. –What's up?

-Nothing interesting. –She said with a smile, the pain somehow lessened when she heard her best friend. –Can I ask you something?

-Ah? –She could imagine Ichigo raising an eyebrow. –What happened?

-Have you feel many Hollow presences lately?

Akon, who had maintain his distance and seemed to be entertained by some papers, couldn't help feeling curiosity when he heard that. He usually preferred to ignore the conversations and give some privacy, but this time it seemed something important.

-Ichigo? –She asked seeing he was taking too much time in his answer, wondering if he was still connected.

At the other side of the line, Ichigo scratched the back of his head. –I guess… I haven't paid too much attention to that right now. I've been studying.

-Oh… -Was the only thing that left her lips. That was right; Ichigo and Ishida most had been busy with part time jobs and their last studies before University. –I see thanks.

-Rukia? Is something wrong?

-No. –She answered quickly. –It's just that Shino and Ryūnosuke are having some problems with taking care of the situation, and I thought it was weird that neither you nor Ishida had intervened by now.

-Oh, I'm sorry, Rukia. –He really seemed to feel bad for being of no help at that moment, making the shinigami smile.

-Moron. –She said with that playful tone she always used. –I don't need your help; I just wanted to make sure you two weren't swallowed by earth.

-You wished! –He said. Although his tone sounded angry, Rukia knew he was smiling just like her. –And? How's everything going with Renji?

Rukia hold the device with force, scared of letting it go because of the surprise. Suddenly all happiness got blocked and she felt like a bucket full of water had just felled down her head. She wasn't ready for that. She still didn't know how to answer that.

-Rukia?

Ichigo's voice took her back to reality. She inhaled deeply, knowing she would have to respond and anyway Ichigo would find out sooner or later.

-Ichigo… -She didn't know how to say it. She felt bad just thinking in that. –Renji and I broke up.

The silence was sepulchral. Rukia didn't know what else to say, don't wanting to give details. Ichigo was probably trying to assimilate what she had just said. Meanwhile, Akon had got completely tense, not daring to move an inch. He had been hearing to the conversation with the intention of asking Rukia if there was any problem in Karakura, but hearing that was no part of his plan. He felt guilty, like he had heard something private –though he would find out sooner or later too, thanks to Matsumoto–.

-Rukia… I'm sorry. –Finally Ichigo's voice was what broke the silence, and both shinigamis thanked it. –You ok?

-Yes. –She answered automatically. –Don't worry about me, Ichigo. It's nothing I can't handle on my own.

-… Fine –He didn't sound sure, but he knew he couldn't do great thing at that moment. Besides, it seemed Rukia wasn't ready to talk about that yet, so he decided to wait till she was. –If you need something, just call me.

-Sure. –She answered with a soft smile. –Bye, Ichigo

-See ya'.

And hung up. Rukia let go a sigh. The conversation and the atmosphere had become really uncomfortable for a moment.

-Is there a problem in Karakura? –The voice of the lieutenant startled her. She had completely forgotten he was there.

No. –She answered. –It just seems to be an increment of Hollow apparitions, and the guys we have there appear to have some difficulties.

Akon nodded. Rukia thanked he had said nothing about her broke-up with Renji. –Thank you, Akon-dono.

-No problem. –He said heading to the exit. Rukia followed him saying nothing. –See you soon.

They said good bye and Rukia returned to her Quarters, where most probably Kiyone and Sentarō were already waiting for her. She felt exhausted. She had been fulfilling both her lieutenant and captain's responsibilities of her Division. Also, Kiyone was too busy with her possible change of Division and promotion, so she only had Sentarō. And as if that wasn't enough, the losses in the Division had been a complete chaos and they had lost too many seated officers. To make it all worst, his broke up with Renji the day before hadn't helped anything to her increasing stress and tiredness.

She was way too distracted to notice the person in front of her.

She fell down, holding her nose, now aching because of the crash. She looked up and felt a shiver going all the way through her back when seeing who it was.

-Hey. –Captain Zaraki's voice prevented her from moving. –What do you think you are doing?

-Ah, I… -She smiled almost forcibly. That was the expression she made when she had done something wrong and didn't know how to get out of the problem. Just like now.

-My, my, isn't it Rukia-chan? –Next to the Captain Rukia finally distinguished two familiar figures she hadn't noticed before. After those words, Yumichika bent down and offered her a hand. Rukia reached out and he helped her get up.

-Thank you. –She said raising her eyes. Yumichika wasn't as tall as the other two men; in fact, he wasn't even as tall as Ichigo, and yet he was easily twenty centimeters taller than her.

-Why was our dear Rukia-chan so distracted? –He asked with a smile. Although Rukia was embarrassed, she was thanked the man was taking the conversation away from fighting.

-I'm sorry… -She said holding her nose one last time. –I was thinking in many thing and I didn't look my way.

-Heh, thinking 'bout Renji?

Again. Rukia felt as if her heart had stopped and couldn't hide her once again saddened face. Ikkaku lifted his eyebrow and glanced at Yumichika, wondering if he had said something wrong. Yumichika simply shrugged and decided to be direct.

-Something happened?

Rukia hesitated for a few seconds before answering. Shouldn't Renji be the one telling his friends about this? Well, bad luck. –Renji and I broke up. –She said in a soft voice, though it was loud enough for them to hear.

-What?! –Ikkaku's scream made people turn their attention towards them. As if it wasn't already too striking to see a Captain, two lieutenants and a third Seat officer in the middle of the way. –Like, how? Why? Did Ichigo have something to do?

-Hey…

-We are really sorry, Rukia-chan. –The violet eyed man interrupted before his Captain said something imprudent. –See you.

Ikkaku and Kempachi seemed caught the hint. –See you later, Rukia-chan.

-Y-yeah… -She watched as the three continued their way. Well, that had been really uncomfortable.

Oh, but that still wasn't nothing. She knew the worst was yet to come… After all, he hadn't talked with his brother yet.

 _I wonder what Nii-sama will think about…_

After all, Renji was his lieutenant. Would he get angry with one of them? Or with both of them?

She shook her head, trying to take away those thoughts for the moment. For the first time in the last weeks, the stress at work fancied her more than seeing his brother during dinner.

-Hey, Yumichika. –Kempachi didn't bother to turn to see his officer, he knew he was hearing. –Why did you take us out of there?

-Yeah… I wanted to hear the gossip.

He frowned lightly, but returned his face to normal a second later, don't wanting to wrinkle his face for some nonsense like that.

-It appeared to me that Rukia-chan wasn't comfortable with the topic.

-Anyway. –Kempachi decided to ignore the morality of his officer. –What do you think Abarai did?

Both shrugged. What could Renji have done to break up with the love of his life?

-After all he worked to be with her… -Ikkaku looked up at the sky, thinking. –It must have been something serious.

Yumichika nodded. –What a pity, all that effort for his brother to acknowledge him thrown to the garbage.

And really, Renji had worked really hard to be at the same level of Byakuya and be with Rukia. In that moment, Yumichika remembered something he had said to Renji many years ago:

 _It's much more difficult to tie than to untie._

At that moment, he couldn't be surer about what he had said.

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 ** _To be continued…_**

 **I'm sorry about my mistakes!**


End file.
